Instant steam generator



April 25, 1950l M. N. WAGNER 2,505,656

INSTANT STEAM GENERATOR Filed April 30, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 25, 1950 M. N. WAGNER INSTANT STEAM GENERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30. 1948 IN V EN T 0R. /K h/ymer A rra/WYE YS Patented Apr. 25, 195() UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INSTANT STEAM GENERATOR Martin N. Wagner, Rochester, N. Y.

Application April 30, 1948, Serial No. 24,372

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to a steam generator.

An object of the invention is the provision of a steam generator which not only produces steam instantly but the generation is automatically controlled for maintaining a steady flow of the steam for cleaning or treating various parts of automobiles, for sterilizing dairy equipment, for heating pressing irons or for use in any establishment when Water and electricity is available, the steam generated in a boiler aiding in controlling the iiow of water to the generator in accordance with the pressure developed therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a steam generator in which nozzles spray a fine inist of water against a cylindrical metal surface heated by an external resistance wire, the flow of the water under pressure to the nozzle being initiated by a valve incorporated in a supply and actuated by an electric means in a circuit which is controlled by a mercury switch projecting into the generator.

The invention is best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings l forming part of the specication, nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure but is susceptible of such changes and modifications as shall denne no material departure from the salient features q,

of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section Figure is an enlarged vertical section of the connections between a pipe and tubes supply- Ing water to nozzles,

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section of the nozzles and supporting plate for said nozzles, and

Figure 7 is a side view of the complete generator unit and a wiring diagram therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Ill designates a cylinder of brass which forms the main body of a steam generator. The ends of the cylinder are closed by cover plates II and I2. Each plate has an annular shoulder I3 engaging over the adjacent ends of the cylinder. A ring I4 is brazed to the outer wall of said cylinder and inwardly of the shoulders. Bolts I5 are threaded into p-assages in the shoulders and rings for drawing the closures up tight on the ends of the cylinder to provide a leak proof seal, A second ring having less thickness than the rings I4 but of greater diameter is received on the cylinder I0 adjacent each end thereof. Each ring 23 is in abutting relation with the inner face of one of the adjacently disposed rings I4. A cylindrical housing 2I is supported by the outer peripheries of the rings 20 to provide a circumferential chamber around the cylinder iii. Cup-shaped caps 22 and 23 are mounted on the opposite ends of the housing 2l.

An inlet pipe 25 for supplying water to the generator is threaded at 26 into a distributor 21 which is threaded into a central passage in the closure I2 (Figure 5). A nut 28 is screwed on the distributor and is backed up to the inner wall of the closure for retaining said distributor in position. The distributor has a plurality of longitudinal passages 2S opening into the inner end of the pipe 25. The distributor has a ange 27a engaging the outer wall of the closure I2.

A curved supporting plate 30 (Figures 2, 4 and 6) is secured at one end to the cover plate I2 of the cylinder I0 and is provided with passages 31 for the escape of the steam generated above said plate. A pipe 32 is threaded at one end into each of the passages 29. The other ends oi the pipes are threaded into nozzles 33 and mounted in openings in the plate 3Q. Nuts 34 are screwed onto the pipes tight against said plate for retaining the nozzles in position. A discharge pipe 35 communicates with the interior of the cylinder l0 and is threaded into a central passage in the closure I I. A steam pressure gage 36 is incorporated in the pipe 35.

A Valve 40 incorporated in the pipe 25 is operated by a lever 4I pivoted on a bracket 42. The lever has one end pivotally attached to an armature 43 actuated by a magnetic coil 44. Wires 45 and 46 extended from said coil are in circuit with the-respective wires 4l and 45 which lead to a plug 49 adapted to be received by an electric outlet of a building. A manually actuated switch 50 cooperates with a mercury switch 5I for closing the circuit to the coil 44. The switch 5I is incorporated in the wire 45 and maintains the circuit to the coil 44 open until the cylinder IU is heated sufficiently when the expanding mercury will cause closing of the switch and the armature Will open the valve dil.

A sheath of mica 53 surrounds the external surface of the cylinder l and a rope 5s formed of asbestos is wound on the mica and the turns of the rope are spaced sufciently apart to receive the turns of a resistance wire 55 therebetween to prevent the turns or" the wir@ from becoming short-circuited, since the turns or" wire and rings are formed of metal a turn 54a of the rope is applied initially and finally to the adjacent rings to prevent short-circuiting at these points. The Wire 48 is connected to the outer end of the coil 55 while the inner end of the wire 4'! is attached to the other end of said coil.

The circumferential chamber between the mica sheath 53 and the shell or housing 2l is filled with insulating materials 55, such as glass fibers. the coils of the rope 54 and the coils of the wire 55 before the insulation 55 is applied. The metal caps 22 and 23 of the main housing are also iilled with the ber glass.

A pressure gage Gli is incorporated in the water supply pipe 25. When the pressure of the water in pipe 25 is insufficient to spray Water through the nozzles 33 against the steam pressure in the cylinder lll, a pump (not shown) will be employed to maintain the required pressure. valve generally designated by the numeral el and included in the pipe 25 to permit the flo-w of water tc the nozzles 33 will prevent pressure in the cylinder Il) from forcing the water toward the source. A spring E2 tends to maintain the valve lll closed.

The operation of my device is as follows: When the switch 5d is closed, the resistance wire 55 will heat the cylinder lil. The mercury switch 5i will then close the circuit to the coil se and the valve will be opened permitting water to flow to the nozzles 33. In View of the fact that no pressure exists the cylinder lll water will be sprayed on to the inner wall of said cylinder. However, as the pressine of the steam increases in the cylinder, the flow of water to the nozzles will be cut oil until the pressure drops in said cylinder.

It is to be borne in mind that the quantity of steam discharged from the cylinder id is so regulated that the output of steam maybe maintained at a uniform rate.. The spring 62 and the solenoid actuating the valve will cooperate to maintain the uniformity of lthe flow or" water to the cylinder ill for a uniform .production of steam. Cutting oil the flow or" steam will automatically step the ilow of water because the steam pressure will be greater' than the water pressure at this time, although the valve ld will be maintained open by the switch 5i. When the temperature is lowered suiciently in the ycylinder l by the opening oi the switch 5i), the valve .0 will close. rhe ring ls serves a double purpose. It not only prevents the ends of the cylinder lll from expending under high pressures and temperatures but it provides'an anchorage lfor the closures li and l2. the closures may be removed readily by the release of the bolts l 5.

In view of the fact that the baiile sev is secured at one end to the cover l2, said ba'flle together with the pipes 32, nozzles 33, distributor 2l and the switch 5l may be removed as a unit from the cylinder lil. It will be appreciated that it will be necessary to remove the cap 23 from the housing A sheet 5l of asbestos is wrapped around -f A check 2| before it will be possible to unscrew the bolts l5 which retain the plate I2 sealed to an end of the cylinder lll.

It will be appreciated that other insulating materials may be employed in place of the mica sheath 53 and the asbestos rope 54. Numerous materials may be used in mixture form to provide a bed to prevent short circuiting of the wires 55.

What is claimed is:

l. An instantaneous steam generator comprising a cylinder formed of brass, closures for the end of said cylinder, a non-conducting sheath on ythe cylinder, a resistance wire wound on the sheath, a rope formed of asbestos wound on the sheath with the turns thereof disposed at opposite sides of the turns of the wire, a packing of non-conducting materials surrounding the wire and rope, a housing enclosing the packing, means for electrically energizing the wire for heating said cylinder, means spraying the interior heated wall of the cylinder with a ne mist of Water to create steam and means conducting the steam away from the cylinder.

2. An instantane o s steam generator comprising a cylinder fo d of brass, closures for the end of said cylinder, nonconducting sheath on the cylinder, a resistance wire wound on the sheath, a rope formed of asbestos wound on the sheath with the turns thereof disposed at opposite sides of the turns of the wire, a packing of non-conducting materials surrounding the wire and rope, a housing enclosing `the packing, means for electrically energizing the wire for heating said cylinder, means spraying `the interior heated wall of the cylinder with a fine mist of Water to create steam, a valve controlling the i'iow of water to the spraying means, a magnetic means for causing opening or" the valve, a resilient means closing said valve, a thermostatic switch actuated in accordance with the temperature in the cylinder and a circuit in which is incorporated the switch and magnetic means.

3. A steam generator comprising a brass cylinder, an electric resistance heating coil on the exterior wall of the cylinder, means insulating the coil from said cylinder, plates closing the ends of the cylinder, a distributor for water secured to one of the plates, a water supply connected to the distributor, a baile having one end attached to the iirst-rnentioned plate and projecting longitudinally through the cylinder, nozzles carried by the baille, pipes connecting the nozzles with the distributor, said nozzles, pipes, baille, distributor and iirst mentioned plate being removable as a 'unit from the cylinder, means supplying an electric current to the heating coil, a valve controlling the flow of water Yto the distributor, a thermostatic switch in the cylinder, a magnetic means for causing opening of the valve, and an electric circuit including the magnetic means and the thermostatic switch.

MARTIN N. VJAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED l The following references are oi record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number .Na-ine 1,417,215 Graff May 23, 1922 1,594,087 Arnold July 27, 1926 2,149,667 Clarke Mar. 7, 1939 2,426,939 Libman et al Sept. 2, 1947 

